Naturalist Weekly: Micro-Season–The Pheasant First Calls

Mark S of Naturalist Weekly has written a post about the third micro-season, The Pheasant First Calls, of the mini-season, Minor Cold. He then discusses the various kinds of pheasants as well as invites readers to post a haiku or senryu about a bird currently residing in the area. To read the complete post, check out https://naturalistweekly.com/2023/01/20/micro-season-the-pheasant-first-calls/

Here is the haiku which this pedometer geek wrote for the prompt:

winter robins flock
to crab-apple tree
–snowy afternoon
~Nancy Brady, 2023

This afternoon my husband looked out the window and called to me about the flock of robins on and under our crab-apple tree. There must have been twenty or thirty of them eating the remaining fruit despite the light snow that was falling, covering the branches.

Because of the water feature in our front yard, we often have birds, especially robins, drinking and bathing in it. In the winter, we install a bird bath heater in it. When the temperatures goes below freezing, this “pond” supplies fresh water for birds and other animals.

Long digression here, but this past few days, I spent some time visiting with my son, my daughter-in-law, and our newest grandson. They recently moved to another home in a different neighborhood. The neighbor across the street has adopted some guinea fowl, which roam the neighborhood. They often sun themselves on my son’s front porch in the morning. By the way, they are noisy birds; their call sounds like bed-springs squeaking. After reading Mark’s blog, I wondered if they could be related to pheasants, and after looking it up, I have found out that they are.

To read more about guinea fowl, and to see a photo of one, check out the following site: https://www.heritageacresmarket.com/guinea-fowl/

The Collection: The Rabbits

This week at Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills wrote about her week, greasy snow, and the rabbits, which she recently saw. From this piece, she set the following prompt:

In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes rabbits. Is it a family? A strange planet? Some crazy bunny person’s pets? Who are they and what are they doing? Go where the prompt leads!

This pedometer geek writer wrote the following:

Aloysius’s Wish

One afternoon Aloysius, the white cat, discovered some rabbits in the garden eating lettuce and carrots. When they saw him, they ran. Actually, they hopped away quickly.

Aloysius was impressed. He could run, but could he hop like them? The rabbits’ back legs looked similar to his back legs. He tried and tried to hop, but he couldn’t. Aloysius’s muscles allowed him to jump, but he couldn’t hop like rabbits, which were nibbling on clover.

 Aloysius knew the clover helped him once before, and he wished to hop. He found he could hop if he was standing in clover.

~Nancy Brady, 2023

I haven’t written about Aloysius in some time, but he nudges me every so often.

To read all the stories about the rabbits written by the Word Wranglers at Carrot Ranch, check out The Collection at the blog https://carrotranch.com/blog/ on or after Wednesday, January 17, 2023.

I have to admit that I had never heard the term greasy snow before. I now know, and for those who might wonder, it is slush, which makes the roads slippery (thanks to another Word Wrangler, Sue S.)

#99wordstories

Naturalist Weekly: Micro-Season–The Springwater Holds Warmth

Mark S has written about the second micro-season, The Springwater Holds Warmth, of the mini-season Minor Cold. This micro-season runs from January 11 through January 15. He then discusses the season and a little about water.

To read his whole blog on this season check out https://naturalistweekly.com/2023/01/13/micro-season-the-springwater-holds-warmth

He also invites readers to both read haiku from the masters as well as write haiku related to the micro-season as he describes it.

This pedometer geek writer wrote the following haiku:

winter evening
stargazing
in our hot tub
~Nancy Brady, 2022

fluffy snowflakes melt
in the hot tub
–winter solstice
~Nancy Brady, 2022

To check out the poems and other comments from other readers, read to the end, and make a comment, too.

Haiku Happenings–Haiku Dialogue, Haiku Seed Journal

This week the Haiku Foundation’s weekly column, Haiku Dialogue, has a new format and a new guest editor, John S. Green. The format has changed to a two-week cycle. The first week the haiku are chosen from those submitted. The second week will have a few haiku, which will be selected for commentary.

John has chosen for his theme, Resolutions, and this week haiku were to be written about successes in the previous year. The success could be large or small.

John explained the process, and then went on to say, “Over 200 poets from 36 countries sent in over 300 poems. For next week, I have reserved 17 poems for special comment.”

Because of the number of haiku submitted, this pedometer geek poet is thrilled to have one haiku chosen for inclusion. It is as follows:

branching out…
I try some new
poetry forms

~Nancy Brady, 2023

Thanks, John, for selecting one of my haiku this week. It is appreciated. I can’t wait to read the haiku he has picked for commentary.

To read all the haiku, he chose for this week’s column, check out https://thehaikufoundation.org/haiku-dialogue-resolutions-success-1/

In other haiku news, Haiku Seed Journal published the debut issue (#0), First Blossoms. This journal is the brainchild of the founding editor, Sankara Jayanth Sudanagunta, who has combined art with many of the haiku in the journal.

One of this pedometer geek’s haiku was chosen for inclusion in the journal, and it is as follows:

summer afternoon
goldfinch pair ravages
the sunflowers
~Nancy Brady, 2022

Thanks, Sankara, for selecting this haiku as well as adding your artwork to complement my haiku. It is truly appreciated.

To read all the haiku, the journal can be found here: https://haikuseed.com/2023/01/10/issue-0-first-blossoms/

To read other haiku on the site, check out https://haikuseed.com/ and click on any of the Top Posts from the previous year.

The Collection: Sabbatical

The new year has began and with it, is the return of Charli Mills’ Carrot Ranch prompts. Here is how she introduced the prompt:

January 2, 2023, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a sabbatical. Who needs one or has had one? What kind of tension could a rest create? Where can a break take your story? Go where the prompt leads!

This pedometer geek writer wrote the following:

Sabbatical? Could They Help?

In academia, professors are allowed to take a sabbatical, time off to study, do research, write, rather than teach. While at college, many different professors took sabbaticals during my schooling.

Using my profession as one example, I know that pharmacists never have the opportunity to take sabbaticals. Yet all are required to update our medication knowledge through continuing education, which is completed on personal time, not pharmacy hours. Pharmacists’ vacation time is limited with those hours picked up by other pharmacists.

Maybe, if all high pressure professionals could take a sabbatical from their profession, there might be less burnout.

~Nancy Brady, 2023

To read all the stories about real sabbaticals, check out http://www.carrotranch.com Obviously, this writer has never had a sabbatical so hopefully, I’ll learn about them, In the meantime, I’ll be submitting some continuing education for credit.

Failed Haiku: Volume 8, Issue #85

Failed Haiku–A Journal of English Senryu is one of this pedometer geek’s favorite journals (mainly because it was one of the first journals to accept my haiku/senryu writing fairly regularly) How could I not appreciate (founder and now video editor) Mike Rehling’s kind commentary on my various failed haiku when I would submit.

Monthly, the editors put out a journal that contain pages and pages of what the editors call failed haiku, but fit more into the genre called senryu. The first issue was published January 2016, and the first time I submitted and was accepted was the May 2016 issue. Now, each issue is edited by either Bryan Rickert or guest editors.

The January 1, 2023 issue, which was edited by guest editors, Arvinder Kaur and Hifsa Ashraf, was published a week ago. It is jam-packed with 188 pages of senryu from 170 poets around the globe including a couple by this pedometer geek writer.

Thanks Arvinder Kaur and Hifsa Ashraf for choosing to include these following senryu:

looking back
and looking forward
–a hogmanay toast

~Nancy Brady, 2023

first crocus
I find myself
skipping

~Nancy Brady, 2023

Thanks again to Arvinder and Hifsa for finding something of value in my submission; it is appreciated.

To read all the senryu from the issue (or even past issues), check out https://failedhaiku.com/ and click on the link to Issue 85.

These two senryu were actually the first (published) poems of the year for this writer although I indicated otherwise in a previous post.

The Naturalist Weekly: Micro-Season–The Water Dropwort Flourishes (2023)

This week Mark’s Naturalist Weekly blog discusses the first micro-season of the mini-season Minor Cold. This micro-season is called “The Water Dropwort Flourishes” and the water dropwort is also known as Japanese parsley.

Mark goes on to explain more about the water dropwort and some of its uses. He shares some haiku by haiku masters and then invites readers to write haiku based on the season. To read the whole blog (and it is fascinating), check out https://naturalistweekly.com/2023/01/06/micro-season-the-water-dropwort-flourishes-2023/

In that vein, this pedometer geek writer wrote the following haiku and senryu:

seven herbs…
her neighbor’s
many personalities
~Nancy Brady, 2023

new year’s day…
sauerkraut and pork
always on the menu
~Nancy Brady, 2023

Yes, one is serious and the other isn’t. Thanks, Mark S for providing such interesting naturalist’s notes and inviting readers to write haiku.

BP: The Old and the New (Haiku Happenings and More)

The year 2022 has ended, and the new year, 2023, has begun.This pedometer geek read or heard somewhere some time ago that the new year is no longer called the new year when people automatically don’t have to mentally remind themselves of the current year’s number (name?) when they are writing a check. Usually it is sometime late in January or early in February before people get in the mindset.

For me, during my career I generally didn’t have a problem with the transition between the previous year and the new one as I was always looking forward (to expiration dates on medications, to the dates that prescriptions expired or ran out) because it was required in my day-to-day job/living, but I digress.

The last two haiku this pedometer geek writer had published in 2022 were from the Haiku Foundation’s weekly column, Haiku Dialogue, on December 28, which was posted on a previous post, and the December issue (#72) of Stardust Haiku: Poetry with a Little Sparkle, which is edited by Valentina Ranaldi-Adams. This issue included haiku poets from six different countries on four different continents.

The haiku selected for inclusion by Valentina was as follows:

only the seed

of the thistle

–nuthatch               

~Nancy Brady, 2022

Thanks, Valentina, for accepting one of my haiku; it is appreciated. To read all of the haiku in this month’s issue or even previous issues, check out https://stardusthaiku.blogspot.com/

Having made a personal commitment to submit more often to various journals around the world and have my haiku read by others, I am proud to announce that more haiku and senryu appeared in journals, Twitter, other blogs, columns, and in several anthologies in 2022. Yes, I will admit that I got rejected lots of times and didn’t submit to every journal available, but the number of haiku selected has definitely gone up and in some journals I never thought would accept any of them.

In other haiku happenings, this pedometer geek writer’s first published haiku of the new year was in the Haiku Foundation’s weekly column, Haiku Dialogue. This is the last week of Zoe and Sherry Grant’s guest editorship on the subject of childhood memories with the theme for this week of School, Family, and Friends.

The pair chose haiku from poets in more than thirty countries and five continents. Some were humorous and some were sad, but all gave insights into childhood memories.

This week Sherry and Zoe selected one of mine, and it is as follows:

winter afternoon
we create a dance
to keep legs warm

~Nancy Brady, 2022

Normally, I never put explanations or disclaimers with my haiku as I wish them to stand on their own merits, but I made an exception with this one. The following is my explanation: We went to school before girls were allowed to wear pants; we had to wear dresses and we were never excused from recess.

To read all the haiku on childhood memories, check out https://thehaikufoundation.org/haiku-dialogue-childhood-memories-school-days-family-and-friends-introduction-to-resolutions/

I participated in Charli Mills’ Carrot Ranch’s 99-word (no more, no less) story weekly challenges throughout the year. I resolved to write to all of the prompts she presented, but I am sure I could have missed one or two. Whether I will be as dedicated to repeating that feat remains to be seen.

Naturalist Weekly: Micro-season–The Elk Sheds Its Antlers (and Other Haiku Happenings)

This week at the Naturalist Weekly blog, Mark S. blogged about the micro-season, The Elk Sheds Its Antlers, which is the second micro-season of the mini-season Winter Solstice, He discussed the differences between antlers and horns as well as which animals have what. To read his whole blog, check out https://naturalistweekly.com/2022/12/30/micro-season-the-elk-sheds-its-antlers-2022/

He also invited readers to submit haiku related to this micro-season, and this pedometer geek writer wrote the following haiku:

blizzard…
near our pond we see
deer tracks in the snow
~Nancy Brady, 2022

In other haiku happenings, the Haiku Foundation’s weekly column, Haiku Dialogue, the subject was to write haiku related to those childhood memories about special occasions.

The mother-daughter guest editors, Sherry and Zoe Grant, selected haiku from poets from around the globe. There were poets from over twenty-seven countries included in the column. The editors commented on quite a few of them.

This pedometer geek writer feels fortunate to have had Zoe and Sherry choose the following haiku for inclusion:

birthday party
we play bingo
for bracelets

Nancy Brady, 2022

Thanks, Sherry and Zoe, for choosing this haiku, which was written about one of my elementary school classmate’s birthday parties. Before the party ended, I remember that everyone had several of these bracelets gracing their wrists.

To read all the haiku from this week’s column, check out https://thehaikufoundation.org/haiku-dialogue-childhood-memories-special-occasions/

Naturalist Weekly and Other Haiku Happenings

Mark’s Naturalist Weekly blog features the micro-season, “The Common Self-Heal Sprouts,” which is the first micro-season in the mini-season Winter Solstice. These seasons are based on Japan’s seasons, and don’t follow the seasons in the part of the world where this pedometer geek lives.

Regardless, Mark S has invited readers to post a haiku or two to celebrate the micro-season with seasonal kigo as suggested by Jane Reichold, and this pedometer geek writer has written the following:

poinsettia…
the winter robin provides
a spot of color
~Nancy Brady, 2022

dried phragmites
buffeted by wind and snow–
blizzard
~Nancy Brady, 2022

For those unfamiliar with the scientific name, phragmites, it is an invasive plant in the United States. It is also known as Common Reed Grass, and its invasion of the wetlands near Lake Erie is particularly alarming. It’s a constant battle for native species to survive against phragmites, but small victories by naturalists are being made.

To read the blog, check out https://naturalistweekly.com/2022/12/23/micro-season-the-common-self-heal-sprouts/

In other haiku happenings, December’s issue of Prune Juice Journal of Senryu and Other Related Forms (#38) was published.

Tia Haynes, the editor, chose one senryu written by this pedometer geek, and it is as follows:

heat lightning
the storm rages
inside her

~Nancy Brady, 2022

Thanks Tia for including this senryu in this journal; it’s appreciated.

Like most online journals, Prune Juice has poets from across the globe. To read all the senryu and other forms, check out https://prunejuicesenryu.com/2022/12/19/issue-38-senryu-kyoka/

The Haiku Foundation’s weekly column, Haiku Dialogue, which is now being edited by Zoe and Sherry Grant, was published on Wednesday, December 21, 2021 on the subject of a special item from childhood. The column included poets from six continents, the only continent not represented was Antarctica. Over thirty countries were represented in this week’s collection proving once again the global nature of haiku. Three haiku poets were under the age of ten, by the way.

I am grateful that Zoe and Sherry chose the following haiku for inclusion:

Christmas party…
choosing the gift
of a stuffed monkey

~Nancy Brady, 2022

Thanks for selecting this haiku; it’s appreciated. To read all the haiku (and perhaps relive memories of childhood), check out https://thehaikufoundation.org/haiku-dialogue-childhood-memories-a-special-item-from-childhood/